Erich Neumann | |
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אריך נוימן | |
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| Born | (1905-01-23)23 January 1905 |
| Died | 5 November 1960(1960-11-05) (aged 55) Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Nationality | German and Israeli |
| Alma mater | University of Erlangen–Nuremberg (PhD) University of Berlin (MD) |
| Known for | Analytical psychology |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychology |
Erich Neumann (Hebrew:אריך נוימן; 23 January 1905 – 5 November 1960)[1] was a Germananalytical psychologist and student ofCarl Jung.[2]
Neumann was born inBerlin to aJewish family.[3] He received his PhD in Philosophy from theUniversity of Erlangen–Nuremberg in 1927. Then, he continued to study medicine at theUniversity of Berlin, where he acquired his first degree in medicine in 1933.
In 1934 Neumann and his wife Julie, who were both Zionists, moved toTel Aviv to avoid being persecuted by the Nazi Government.[3] For many years, he regularly returned toZürich, Switzerland to give lectures at the annualEranos conference at theC. G. Jung Institute. He also lectured frequently in England, France and the Netherlands, and was a member of theInternational Association for Analytical Psychology and president of the Israel Association of Analytical Psychologists. He practicedanalytical psychology inTel Aviv from 1934 until his death fromkidney cancer in 1960.[3]
Erich Neumann was aJungian psychologist whose work focused on the evolution of consciousness,depth psychology, andarchetypal symbolism. Best known for developing the ego-Self axis theory,[4] an extension ofCarl Jung's theory ofindividuation, he further expanded Carl Jung’s theories, particularly in the areas of the psychological history of humanity and consciousness, mythology, creativity, and the integration of the unconscious.[5][6]
As defined in his 1952Eranos lecture, "The Psyche and the Transformation of the Reality Planes," the ego-Self axis is a concept in analytical psychology that describes the developmental relationship between theego, the center of conscious identity, and theSelf, the totality of the psyche and the source ofindividuation. Neumann expanded this idea into a model of psychological growth, emphasizing how the ego emerges from the unconscious and evolves toward greater integration with the Self.[7]
One of Neumann’s most significant contributions was his theory of the development of consciousness, outlined inThe Origins and History of Consciousness (1949).[8] In this work, Neumann proposed a developmental model of human consciousness based on mythological and psychological stages, tracing the emergence of theego from thecollective unconscious through symbolic narratives.[9] His approach was deeply influenced by Jung’s concept of archetypes, but he extended it by emphasizing the cultural evolution of the psyche. Carl Jung wrote the introduction, describing it as a continuation and expansion of his own work.[10]
Neumann also made notable contributions to the study of archetypal feminine symbolism inThe Great Mother (1955),Amor and Psyche (1956), and other related works, where he examined universal representations of the feminine principle in mythology, religion, and psychology.[11]
InDepth Psychology and a New Ethic (1949), Neumann explored the role of theshadow in individual and collective psychology, arguing that Western culture’s repression of the shadow leads toprojection, scapegoating, and social unrest.[12] He proposed a "new ethic", in which individuals take responsibility for and integrate their unconscious drives rather than externalizing them onto others.[13] His work in this area has been recognized as an early psychological critique of authoritarianism and mass psychology, particularly in relation to post-WWII Europe.[14]
Neumann also wrote extensively about creativity and the role of artistic expression in psychological transformation. InArt and the Creative Unconscious (1959), Neumann argued that art serves as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind, playing a crucial role in the development of individual and collective consciousness. The book analyzes the creative process in mythological and artistic traditions, viewing it as a key mechanism for psychological integration. In the first essay,Leonardo da Vinci and the Mother Archetype, Neumann explicitly refutesFreud’s psychoanalytic interpretation of Leonardo’s childhood memory and artistic motivations,Leonardo da Vinci, A Memory of His Childhood. Freud viewed Leonardo’s creativity as the result of repressed sexuality and sublimation. Instead, Neumann argued thatLeonardo’s themes should be understood through the Jungian framework of archetypes, particularly the Great Mother and the archetype of the creative individual, which he associated with Great Individuals -figures who embody transformative creative forces in culture and history.[10]
Additionally, Neumann developed the concept ofcentroversion, which he described as the integration ofextraversion and introversion in the process of individuation. He argued that a mature ego must harmonize both conscious and unconscious elements to fully integrate along the ego-Self axis, facilitating both individual and cultural development.[15][16]
Erich Neumann published extensively in the fields of analytical and depth psychology, mythology, and the evolution of consciousness. His works explore the archetypal structures of the psyche, the development of consciousness, and the role of creativity in psychology. Several of his books were published posthumously, based on manuscripts completed before his death.
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